Transmission mechanism



B. THOMAS TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed April 50, 1920 l5 1s 3 16 K 19 13 12 li 1 7 4 Z/ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 16, 1924 1,519,744

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

BENJAMIN THOMAS, 013 MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAM- MER MFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Application filed April 30, 1920. Serial No. 377,740.

To all whom it may concern: permit equalization of the peripheral speed Be it known that I, BENJAMIN THOMAS, of the gears to be meshed and finally disena citizen of the United States, residing at gage the clutch for meshing of the gears.

Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and Various other objects and advantages will 55 State of Wisconsin, have invented new and hereafter appear.

useful Improvements in Transmission Mech- The invention may in practice be embodied anisms, of which the following is a full, in various forms one of which is shown in clear, concise, and exact description, referthe accompanying drawing.

ence being had to the accompanying draw- In the drawing: 60 ing, forming a part of this specification. Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a This invention relates to transmission transmission mechanism embodying the inmechanisms. vention, the parts being shown in normal More particularly the invention relates to position. I transmissions for automobiles and the like Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of the c5 including a selective change speed gear set clutch control means shown in Fig. 1 in anand a clutch interposed between said gear other position and, set and the automobile engine or other source Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on of power. line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the operation of automobiles it is the Referring to Fig. 1 the same illustrates a 70 usual practice when effecting speed changes conventional type of automobile transmisto disengage the clutch and then effect both sion wherein a gear set 1 is adapted to be neutralization and shifting of the gears connected to the fly wheel 2 of an engine 3 prior to re-engaging the clutch. When efby a cone clutch element 4. The cone clutch fecting speed changes in this manner conelement 4 is controlled by a foot operated 75 siderable gear clashing is likely to occur, lever 5 while the gear set 1 is of a selective especially in shifting to a lower speed, due speed type wherein certain of the gears are to the difference in the peripheral speed of adapted to be shifted and neutralized by a the gears as the same are moved into mesh. lever 6. On the other hand clashing of the gears may The cone clutch element 1 is biased to enbe prevented by the so-called double shift, gage fly wheel 2 by spring pressure devices the clutch being permitted to momentarily 7 and is connected to the gear set 1 by a shaft re-engage upon neutralization of the gears Sand universal joint 9. The universaljoint9 and the speed of the engine being varied to is of a type permitting movement of shaft equalize the peripheral speeds of the de- 8 to the left for disengagement of clutch ele- 35 sired gears which may then be quietly ment 4 and said shaft is provided with a meshed when the clutch is again disengaged. fixed collar 10 to be engaged by rollers 11 However, it is very difficult to accomplish on a clutch operating fork 12. the double shift with the clutch control The foot lever 5 and clutch operating fork heretofore provided and as a result it has 12 are both oscillatably mounted on a shaft 40 been practiced only by expert drivers. 13 and are connected by links 15 and 16, the This invention has among its objects, to former being shown in dotted lines. Link 15 provide clutch operating means which will has one end pivotally connected to lever 5, produce the clutch movements necessary to and link 16 has one end pivotally connected the double shift upon a single forward to the extremity of an arm 17 on operating and return movement of the clutch operatin f rk 19,, whil aid fi k hav th ir free e d lever. pivotally connected by a pin 18. As shown A fu 1 O ject o provide Clutch opin Fig. 1, link 16 is normally held against a crating means adapted upon unidirectional stop 19 by a spring 20 in which position the movement of the clutch lever to first dissame is in substantial alignment with link engage the clutch to permit neutralization 15. A fixed stop 21 is provided for the pin of the gear set, then re-engage the clutch to 18 connecting said links, said stop being supported at a distance from said pin by a bracket 22. Also the lever 5 carries a. stop 23 for said pin.

With links 15 and 16 in alignment it is apparent that depression of operating lever 5 causes rotation of the clutch operating fork 12 in a clockwise direction for release of clutch element 1. Thereupon the pin 18 is brought into engagement with fixed stop 21 whereby upon continued depression of the lever 5 the links 15 and 16 are moved out of alignment against the action of spring 20. Immediately upon disalignment of links 15 and 16, the clutch operating fork 12 is released for rotation in a counter-clockwise direction and the clutch element 1 then returns to normal position. Upon re-engagement of the clutch element a the operating parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the pin 18 being then in engagement with stop 23 on lever 5. lVith the parts in this relation, stop 23 coacts with links 15 and 16 to prevent counter-clockwise movement of operating fork 12 relative to lever 55, and depression of operating lever 5 thus again disengages clutch element 4. On the other hand release of lever 5 permits the spring pressure devices 7 to return the clutch element 4: and the clutch lever 5 to their respective normal positions, links 15 and 16 in the meantime being movedinto alignment'by spring 20 whereby the operative connection between the clutch and lever 5 insures against subsequent disengagement of the former during return of the latter.

, Thus a single forward and return movement of the clutch operating lever will actuate the clutch in the manner required for the double shift. Upon initial depression of the operating lever 5 the clutch is released to permit neutralization of the gear set. Upon neutralization of the gear set the speed of the engine is slowed down if the selective speed gear change is for an increased speed, and speeded up if the selective shift is for a lower speed and in the meantime the clutch pedal 5 is further depressed which as before set forth momentarily re-engages the clutch. This momentary re-engagement of the clutch tends to equalize the peripheral speeds of the gears to be meshed and the shifting operation can then be completed without clashing. Although the aforedescribed operation of the clutch lever has been set forth as consisting of a series of steps, in actual operation there need be no pause during depression of the clutch pedal, it being merely necessary to properly time the shifting and neutralizing operations.

lVhile the aforedescribed clutch operating means has been shown in connection with a hand controlled gear set, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same is not limited to such use. The clutch operating means shown is also adapted for use in connection with power operated gear shifting mechanisms which are connected to the clutch pedal for control thereby. Furthermore it is to be understood that the structure shown is for the purpose of illustration only and that other structures may be provided which embody the invention and which are within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a normally engaged clutch, of a control member therefor and operative connections between said cluch and said member including means adapted upon movement of said member in one direction through a given range to effect disengaging, re-engaging and subsequent disengaging operations of said clutch and upon movement of said member in an op posite direction through said range to effect a single engaging operation of said clutch.

2. The combination with a normally engaged clutch, of a control member therefor movable between given extreme positions, links connecting said member and said clutch and cooperating means permitting engagement of said clutch when said member is in one extreme position andproviding for disengagement thereof when said member is in its other extreme position, said means also providing for dis-engagement and re-engagement of said clutch upon movement of said member in one direction through an intermediate part of its range.

3. The combination with a normally engaged clutch, of a control member therefor and means connecting said member and said clutch, said means providing for release of said clutch upon initial movement of said member out of a given position, and including parts to be tripped to provide for re-engagement and subsequent dis-engagement of said clutch upon continued movement of said member.

4. The combination with a clutch, crating means therefor, including an element having a plurality of different positions to effect engagement of said clutch and further including means insuring dis-engagement of said clutch upon movement of said element from one of said positions to another and for insuring against dis-engagement of said clutch during return movement of said element.

5. The combination with a clutch, of a lever and means including a linkage connection arranged to subject said clutch to disengagement, re-engagement and subsequent dis-engagement upon unidirectional movement of said lever, said means permitting re-engagement of said clutch upon reverse movement of said lever and insuring against dis-engagement of said clutch during such of opreverse movement of said lever.

6. The combination With a clutch, of a control lever therefor and operative connections therebetween including a second lever, links connecting said tWo levers, a spring normally holding said links in relation whereby initial movement of said control lever dis-engages said clutch, a fixed member to thereupon act upon said links to release said clutch from said control lever for re-engagement of said clutch, said control lever having a part to thereafter act upon said links to effect dis-engagement of said clutch upon continued movement of said lever.

7 The combination With a clutch, of a lever having a link connection with said clutch, and means cooperating with said connection to effect a plurality of operations of the clutch upon movement of said lever in one direction and to effect a single operation of said clutch during movement of said lever in the opposite direction.

8. The combination with a clutch biased to engaging position, of an operating lever there-for connected thereto through a plurality of links, tripping means associated With said links to insure sequential disengagement, re-engagement and disengagement of said clutch during movement of said lever in one direction and to insure uninterrupted engagement of said clutch during movement of said lever in a reverse direction.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

' BEN THOMAS. 

